Local officials marked national black HIV AIDS awareness day on Thursday by encouraging all San Diegans to know their status. Officials say African-Americans need to be more vigilant. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
The HIV epidemic has hit the African-American community especially hard. Blacks are only about five percent of the county population. But they make up more than 12 percent of all local AIDS cases.
Harold Cooks is an African-American who's HIV positive. He says blacks need to talk about the issue.
Cooks : A lot of us don't use condoms, we don't talk about sex with our families, with anyone. So it's more of a hush hush thing. How many people do you know that actually talk to their children about sex? My parents haven't yet. I'm 44.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates 25 percent of those living with HIV don't know they have the disease. Rapid testing is available at many local clinics.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
